In the Stables
by Laree England
Summary: How Regina and Daniel fell in love : Regina/Daniel


Regina slid off of her horse and patted its neck. It had done well today, they had made their best time yet around the course.

"Good job boy," she whispered breathlessly.

Regina jumped as she heard a voice say from behind her, "You want me to take him?"

Regina slapped her hand over her heart and looked at Daniel. "Daniel! You startled me!"

"Pardon miss," Daniel said, looking at the ground. "That was a mighty good run you just did there," he said, not looking up.

"You were watching?" asked Regina, blushing a little.

"I wont anymore if you don't wish me to…"

"No, no, that's alright," said Regina, smiling at the blushing boy. She held out the horse's reigns to him. "Here."

Daniel took one step forward and took the reigns, walking away slowly.

"Daniel?"

Daniel turned and looked back up at Regina.

She flashed him a smile, "Thank you."

Daniel nodded and hastily brought the horse to the stables.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" Daniel whisper-shouted at himself. "You _never_ speak to your master! Ever! Especially your master's _daughter_! She could get you in big trouble for this!"

Daniel put the horse into its stable and pressed his back against the wall, chancing a glance outside. Regina was with her father, who was congratulating her on her run.

_God, she's gorgeous_, Daniel thought, staring hopelessly at her as the familiar feeling of his heart pounding against his chest came to him. _And her smile… and her passion for horses… and her personality…_

Daniel shook his head. He had to stop thinking of Regina like that! She was a highly esteemed lady, and he was a stable boy. Things could never work out between them. Besides, Regina thought of him as no more than a servant, didn't she? She would probably never even _think_ of loving him, would she?

Regina could feel him staring at her again. Her face heated up, and she was glad that her father thought that the redness in her face was just from exercising her horse in this heat. But it wasn't. That handsome stable boy… she could never get him out of her head! The way that his eyes would bore into hers when he looked at her, and his passion for horses… but they could never be. She was his master's daughter. He would never think of loving her, would he? But then why was he still staring…?

"I believe that's your mother calling you to tea," commented her father. Regina instantly felt bad that she hadn't been listening to her father's praises, but nodded and jogged off towards their house, glad to be able to get as far away from Daniel as possible. She didn't want her mother to ask her why her face was so red.

~later that night~

Regina stopped short in front of the stables. _He_ was there again. She had just wanted to see her horse once more before she went to bed, but Daniel was still there. She considered running the other direction, but what would Daniel think if he saw her? She plucked up her courage and walked boldly inside.

Daniel had been doing the final check-ups on the horses before he retired. After placing a blanket over Regina's horse's back, he looked up to see her standing in the doorway, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

"Re-Regina," Daniel stuttered. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see my horse before I went to bed," said Regina, her voice a little higher than normal.

"Oh," said Daniel. "I'll leave-"

"No stay!"

Daniel looked alarmed at how desperate Regina sounded, and Regina was mortified at how she had practically begged him to stay with her.

"Alright," said Daniel, chuckling a little. He looked down at the horse's hair and noticed a huge knot in it.

"Oh," said Daniel.

"What is it?"

"You're horse has his hair all tangled," he laughed. "Can you hand me that brush?"

Regina nodded and reached up for the brush, but was so nervous that she dropped it when she tried to hand it to Daniel.

"I'll get it," they both said at the same time, each bending down. Their hands laid over each other, and when they looked up, their faces were but inches apart.

Before Daniel could restrain himself he put his hand on Regina's face and pulled her to him. Their lips touched, and Regina thought she was going to melt. When they broke apart, Daniel's heart was pounding so hard he thought that she could hear it.

"Do you love me?" Regina whispered breathlessly, staring straight into his eyes.

Daniel couldn't choke out words, so he nodded. Regina smiled widely and wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again.

"Regina," Daniel whispered, "Regina, your mother."

Regina made a whining sound and continued to kiss him.

"Regina…"

"Oh fine!" she pretended to pout. She pecked him on the cheek. "See you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow." Daniel agreed.

Regina smiled and fled, leaving Daniel on the floor wondering what in the world just happened to him.


End file.
